Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-01-22

W.
some means should be adopted by which
legislative enactments can be brought mort
syeedjly 10 the knowledge OF the people. Law
are frequently enacted ana 20 into operation
from two 10 six months before there Is any
nossibility of their general distribution even
among the judicial officers aud practicing at
torncys OF the territory. Cpnsidcrd3lc time
H. necessarily required 10 prepare the laws fOr
publication after the close OF cacu session OF
The legislature; and during this period there
must necessarily be general uncertainty as 10
the provisions OF enactments which may bs OF
the utmost importance 20 the pubic. There
are two ways by which this Obi .ction can be
overcome; one ia by publication In the news
papers In each county OF the territory; the
other by providing that laws, exceit when
there exists An immediate emergency for their
taking effect, shall not go into operation un-
I'll they are regularly printed by Official au'
thority.
The late election shows that Dakota has a
population considerably In excess OF half n
million. The territory is filed with that most
staid and permanent OF classes, an agricultur
al population, 1t eXpends two millions annu-
ally for schools. 1t has expended more than
500, 900 In the erection Of permanent build
ings for territorial institutions. Ii has 3,50O
miles OF railways and 80 newspapers. IL has
] 900 postofices and pays 5000 . annually
into the postoiiice department alone. In all
that goes to make up "A great commonwealth
II is ahead Of a dozen OF the old states of the
union. 1t maintains It's credit; IL pays It's
debts; IL contributes thousands upon thous-
ands To the national treasury. It's people are
law-abiding and God.fearing. No army is re
CURED TO maintain public ord,r. No police
are nteasa 20 protect citizens In their enjoy
mcnt Of their prosperity. Respectfully, hUr
people have petitioued for recognition by con
gress. Year after year they have seen that
body meet and adjourn without action, ana
this IN tie face 81 that ordinance declaring
that when any territory possesses 600 o pee.
PIE il shall be admitted into the >istrrhuod Of
states. ] do not dOuyt but that the blessings
Of statehood are magnitied as the ADVANTAGES
Of territorial condition arc exaggerated. Bar
that does not matter. The eUplc OF Da-
kOta are entitled 10 admission. M one de-
MES IL; no one questions il. Upon what
hypothesis or ground Of reasoning the appll-
cation Is denied, it is difficult 10 conceive. On
the ground OF policy, it Is a b%luhaer; on The
ground OF partisanShip, it is something worse.
We have seen people lighting to Get out OF the
union amid the protests OF the national gov
eminent; il is IA novel sight To sec 5OO, 0Ov peo-
pie struggling 10 get into the union W thout
being needed or rec, gnized. The excuse some
times heard that there Is doubt AS to whether
the people desire one state or two is not val ii.
Ii congress cares to know the opinion OF Da-
kota, let al enabling act be passed with a
clause submitting this question 10 a vote; all
doubt will then be diiyelIcd, AT least give
her An opportunity to be heard.
| wish 10 say in this connection, and with
all emphasis, that the territory cannot ac-
complish her aim by any extraordinary or eX
tra-Juiicial methods. Let rs di-avow at once
and forever all intention OF seeking such a
remedy. Experience has proved 1t difficult
for a state to force its way out of the union:
1t IL even more diff ult to force a way In. |
lake the responsibility of saying that no such
A ans .aalI - -.l - Il a.
people OF Dakota. They will not place them.
selves In the attitude ol aw.brenkers or revo-
lutionists. | stake my reputation on their
loyalty, on their patience and on their for
bearaIce. They love the union OF these states.
Thousands Of them fought aud shed
their blood for its maintenance, and they rec.
ognize It's param plut authority even when
that authority forb ds their participation in
privileges which they have rlel tly earhcd. But
all tn does not alter or lesson the wrong. 1t
hut makes II more glariug and fragrant.
Nothing becomes a government or an indlNtd
ual more than the prompt recognition OF
rights which, owing 20 circumstances cannot
be demanded and enforced. The nation IS
powerful; territories are hel less: they have
no ingcnCrate powers They are created on
the supposition that the nation would deal
justly with them; they were left without re-
dress because the fathers cOnidcd In the hon
or and good faith of those who were to sue
ceed them. | beg the mon VINO represent the
statcsmAnship Of this country rot to betray
that trust. 1T Il not the people of Dakota
who will be the greatest sun 'rers by reason of
such betrayal. 1t is the principle Of repre-
sentative government. An individual may
be wrongfully denied the elective franchise
without deprivlng him of the material pleas
ures Of lie; he may amass Jroprrtv, win
friends, seek happiness IN a hundred ways.
But that wrong, like this, creeps
infn thn hnIy yAnlifin and fa-t.ru
there. 1t becomes precedent for other and
greater wrongs. IL degrades liberty, srorts
with "A solemn II junction OF the fathers, and
sacrifices tbose principles which are eternal 10
the pitiful txigencies OF an hour No party
can affurd To DO this. No people are stropg
enough to trifle with a fundamental principle
which affects the rights and privileges of hair
"A million of their fellow citizens. We urofess
In this land to want an honest expression of
the people regarding public measures and
public men. Can any statesman "honorably
vote TO exclude Dakota becausg. il admitted.
her vote will probably be cast In a given direc-
lions l. that the end AMI aim Of statesman.
shipf Have our great men accomplished their
life mission wuen they have deprived a few OF
their struggling fellow countrtmrn of a
pO. itical privilege because they differ from them
on the petty detail Of government If that
Is SO, then politics and politicians merit I'll
the oppro brium heaped upon them. speak
here without one selfish thought. | utter this
protest simply in behalf OF tue disfrancnised
thousands of honest, Industrious, law-abid-
ing citizens OF this great territory, who. so
far as voice or influence in national affairs
are concerned, are as powcrless and helpless
as the Indian tribe shut IN upon a ncigt Dor
ing reservation.
The people must bear and wait: hut let us
hope that II ever, IN the dals 10 come. n
representative Of the state OF Dakota shall
raise his hand to stay the admission of n ter
ritory similarly situated, the people remem-
boring their own great wrong, Will relegate
him to eternal oblivion
NAT